Improvement in stalk-cutters



UNI ED S'ra'rns- PATENT JAMES ARMSTRONG AND GEORGE ARMSTRONG, OF ELMIRA,ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN STALK-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,281, dated April 1,1873; application filed October 28, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES ARMSTRONG and GEORGE ARMSTRONG, of Elmira,Stark co unty, State of Illinois, have invented certain novelImprovements on Two-Row Stalk-Outters and we do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification,in which- Figure 1, Plate 1, is a section taken longitudinally andvertically through the center of the machine. Fig. 2, Plate 1, is a topView of the machine complete. Fig. 3, Plate 2, is a section takenlongitudinally and vertically through the machine in the plane indicatedby dotted line 3 Fig. 4, Plate 2, is an enlarged sectional view of thetriple-tree and its attachment to a yoke which connects the inner beamsof the two cutter-carryin g frames. Fig. 5, Plate 2, is a front endview, showing how the yoke is connected to the inner beams of the twocuttercarrying frames.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on machines forchopping upcornstalks in the field, so that they can be easily plowedin, wherein we employ a carriage, which is mounted on three wheels, oneof which is a caster or swivel wheel, and combine therewith rotarychopping-blades applied to circular heads, which are mounted onindependent vertioally-vibrating frames, which are raised and lowered bymeans of a compound lever, all as will be hereinafter explained.

The following description of our invention will enable others skilled inthe art to understand it.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the axle-tree of twotransporting-wheels, AA, and B B B B represent four beams, which aresecured rigidly to the axle-tree, and which extend forward thereof, andare connected together by means of a transverse beam, B. These partsconstitute a carriage-frame, which is supported at its front end by acaster or swivel wheel, E. To the lower edge of the front beam B fourbearings are secured, to which two cutter-carrying frames, 0 G, are

hinged. These frames extend back as far as the axle tree A below thesame, and are strengthened by transverse pieces 0 G, between whichrotary cutters are applied. The cutters or choppers are narrow blades asecured to lugs on the peripheries of circular heads D D, which headsare secured by horizontal transverse shafts, that have their bearings inthe longitudinal beams of their respect-- ive frames. The cutter drums,with their frames, are thus allowed to rise and descend and accommodatethemselves to inequalities of surface passed over independently of eachother. The cutters are held down to their work by their own gravity, andalso by the following means: The two inner Longitudinal beams O O of thecutter-carrying frames extend forward of the front beam B of the mainframe, and have attached to them, by means of loops W, a transverseyoke, 11. This yoke b is connected to a triple-tree, G, by means of achain, N, which passes over a pulley, d, that is between the front endsof the two frame-beams B B These two beams B are arranged on each sideof the transverse center of the main frame and extend a short dis tancein front of the transverse beam B as shown in the drawing.

It will thus be seen that the force exerted by the team in drawing themachine will operate to lift the front ends of the inner longitudinalbeams O (J, and of course depress the two cutter-carrying frames back oftheir pivotal connection to the beam B Supplemental holes are madethrough the front ends of the inner beams G O, by which the loop b ofyoke 12 can be adjusted for ward or backward, increasing or diminish ingthe depression on the rear portions of the cutter-carrying frames, ascircumstances may require. The triple-tree G has attached to one end adouble-tree, G and to the other end a single-tree, G To the ends of thedouble-tree single-trees G are attached, and beneath this double-tree apole or tongue, F, is connected by hinges to the front beam B of themain frame, so that the two horses which are hitched to the single-treesG G will be yoked to the tongue, and will thereby be afforded a purchasein guiding the ma chine and turning it at corners. By means of FFIQE.

the central chain b the swivel-wheel E and hinging the tongue F,

- the weight of the front part of the machine is taken off the horsesnecks. The chain b is attached to the triple-tree nearest that end towhich the double-tree is attached, so that three horses are used fordrawing the machine, and arranged so'as to walk between the rows ofstanding stalks.

The arrangement of the triple-tree, doubletree, and single-trees is suchthat the draft is equalized on the animals, although all pull on Anothertongue can also be used on the other side of the machine, thus using twotongues equally as well as one for three horses, if desired, as shown inFig. 2.

If only two horses are used it will be necessary to attach the tongue tothe beam B and employ a long evener and neck-yoke so as to allow thehorses to walk outside of the two irowsof stalks which are being cut.

For the purpose of enabling aperson sitting upon the seat 8 to readilyraise or lower the rear ends of the cutter-carrying frames 0, we employthe following means: H represents a lever, which is pivoted at its frontend near the front ends of the beams O G of the draftframe and betweenthese beams. This lever extends back, and has a cross-bar or treadle, H,secured to it, to the extremities of which rods h h are linked the upperends of arms ii. Armsi i are formed on a yoked or arched lever, I, whichis pivoted to the extremities of a cross-bar, N, and which has a loopedhandle formed centrally on it. The upper ends of the arms i i areconnected by chains j tothe rear cross-beams G of the two frames Thewords upper and lower, used above, refer to the positions of the ends ofthe arms t i when the cutter-frames O G are raised.

The fulcrum bar N is so arranged that when the arched lever I is drawnback and depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, it will be locked in thisposition by reason of the chains j or the weight of the cutter-frames Gfalling back of the pivots of said arched lever. It will be seen thatthe attendant can exercise his own weight on the treadle H; at the sametime employ the lever I to raise the cutters and their frames free fromthe ground. It is obvious that the machine would turn as well if thecaster-wheel E was arranged in rear of the cutters, and the axle'tree ofthe two large transporting-wheels A was arranged in front of thecutters.

What we claim as our invention, and de- I sire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. A foot-lever in combination with a selflocking hand-lever, I, for thepurpose and substantially as described.

2. The tongue hinged directly to the main frame, in combination with theswivel-wheel, the tongue and swivel -wheel being on the same end of theframe, so as 'to turn the machine bodily when the cutter-heads areraised, substantially as described.

3. The loops 1) and yoke or coupling 1) attached to the front ends ofboth cutter-carry ing frames 0, in combination with the draftchain b andpulley d, whereby the draft of the team will act to depress the cutters,substantially as described.

4. The main frame mounted 011 three transporting-wheels, the forward andmiddle one Witnesses:

JAMES H. MILLER, HERMAN GEIRENHEGNER.

